Providence Technical High School - Review Yearbook (Providence, RI)

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TECH REVIEW 51 Great clouds of black smoke belched from the smoke stack, only to float away and be lost in the darkness. Jackson was working like a trooper. Would you like to run her, Miss Drew?” asked Allan. “Yes, I should love to,” she answered. Allan helped her across the cab and into his own seat. “And you must call me Elsie,” she whis- pered, as she sat down. “Put your hand on here,” said Allan, plac- ing her hand on the throttle. “Now you arc a real engineer.” He stood beside her for a few minutes and then went over on the other side of the cab. There was no use to deny it, Elsie Drew was certainly a pretty girl and she had asked him to call her Elsie! Get up here on your scat and keep a sharp look-out. I’ll fire a few minutes for you,” said Allan. “I'm not a bit tired,” said Jackson. “I don’t need a rest.” “Well, I guess you wouldn’t mind hugging that seat for a few minutes,” was Allan’s re- tort. “Well, remember it’s only for a few min- utes,” said Jackson. Allan had been firing only a short time when Elsie cried, “Allan! Allan! come here a minute. What is that waving its arms ahead there?” “Why, I don’t sec anything,” said Allan. “Well, 1 saw something big and black waving at us, but 1 don’t sec it now,” said Elsie. “Here, Jackson, I think 1 had better stay here a few minutes,” said Allan, as he handed hack the shovel. “All right, Allan. Say,” he whispered, “I’m pretty sure saw something waving at us back there.” In some respects railroad men might be called superstitious. Allan had heard of en- gineers who had seen strange signs and then either had been wrecked or had just stopped their train in time to prevent a wreck. What could that waving have meant? And then there came to his mind what the conductor of the accommodation train had told him about the bridge over the outlet of Millville reser- voir. This outlet was known as the Devil’s Creek, and the bridge over this creek had been the scene of more than one terrible accident. But now the train was approaching Ches- ter. Elsie, with Allan’s help, shut off the steam, applied the air, and brought the train to a stop in the Chester station at 9:03, one minute late. At 9:05 the conductor gave the signal to start. The “Flyer” was due at Lakeside Junction at 9:40, and as this was a stop for water, did not leave until 9:48. Allan stood beside Elsie as the train rushed on. Suddenly he closed the throttle, and cried, “Look! someone is waving us down. Jackson, do you see it? I did, but whatever it was, it’s gone now. Open her up again or you’ll have them up here looking us over. There’s a couple of trainmen looking to sec what the trouble is, already,” said Jackson. Allan opened the throttle again and the train soon pulled into Lakeside Junction, still on time. Lakeside Junction is a country sta- tion at a point where a short branch line con- nects with the B. L. E. It has a water tank and many trains stop there every day to take water. While the train was stopped here, Elsie decided that she had run the train enough, so she went hack on the fireman’s scat, and Allan got tip on his own scat. At 9:48 the train started once more. North Adams would be the next stop. North Adams is seventy-two miles from Lakeside Junction and the time for this distance is eighty-two minutes, making the “Flyer” due to arrive at North Adams at 11:10. From Lakeside Junction there is thirty-five miles of level track to the top of the “Devil’s Grade.” The “Devil’s Grade is fifteen miles long and at the foot of this grade is the “Devil’s Creek.” From this point the track is level all tin way to North Adams. Allan opened the throttle wide and kept it open. 'File train, running on the level track, was going at a mile a minute clip. The thirty-five miles to the “Devil’s Grade” were covered in almost as many minutes. On the grade the train increased its speed to nearly seventy miles an hour. Five miles of the grade were covered, then ten. In a minute the dreaded bridge would be crossed. And now Allan, peering ahead into the darkness, suddenly saw that same waving shadow. It was waving faster now. as if to sav STOP! DANGER! STOP! DANGER! Allan could stand it no longer. He would not go over that bridge until he knew it was safe. “Elsie! Jackson! Hold on for your life!” he screamed. “I’m going to stop her.”

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50 TECH REVIEW 1 am pleased to meet Miss Drew,” said Allan. “I was telling her what a chance I was taking by letting a fireman run the Flyer' to- night and what should she do but insist that I let her ride in the cab. I told her that you might object. Will she be in the way, Allan?” ‘‘Not a bit, Allan assured him. “Well, 1 guess Allan will look after you all right, Elsie. 1 must be going back to the President. West, I am depending on you, and then he grasped Allan by the hand again. Good-bye, Elsie, he said, and then he went back to the Special.” Good-bye, father,” she called after him. Allan helped her into the cab and intro- duced her to Jackson. He then brushed off the fireman’s seat, closed the window on the front of the cab, and made her as comfort- able as possible. Allan looked at his watch. It was 7:39. One minute more. He got up on his scat and waited for the signal to start. 7:40. 'l'he conductor swung his lantern. Allan opened the throttle a notch, another, and then another. The Gilt Edge Flyer had commenced her long journey. CHAPTER FOUR The Danger Signal The B. E. E. is a double iron” line. At Indian Head, two miles east of Canton, the C. I). E. joins the B. E. E. and runs into Canton on the latter’s rails. This has made Indian Head the chief despatching headquar- ters of the two roads. It was here that Allan would receive his orders for the long run before him, and, as the “Flyer approached the signal tower, Allan slowed down, while Jackson prepared to catch the orders on the hoop”. As the hoop slipped on his arm Jackson cried, Ix t her go, Allan. I ve got ’em.” Allan opened the throttle wider and wider until the train was fairly flying over the glistening rails. Then, and not until then, did he look at the orders which Jackson had handed to him. l’he orders simply gave the time at which the train was due to arrive and leave the different stations, and told where to take water. On a double iron” line, protected by semaphore block signals, train orders for fast passenger trains are hardly more than a mat- ter of form. Such trains invariably have a clear track during the entire run, and it is only when they run over a torpedo or come upon a red light torch that engineers have to exercise any great caution to prevent acci- dents. In case a freight train gets a hot-box and is stalled in the middle of a block, the red eye of the semaphore at the entrance to the block will show until that train has safely- entered the next block. It prevents any train from entering the block in which the freight is stalled and causing an accident. Sema- phore block signals have reduced the danger of collisions on double tracked roads to a minimum. The orders which he had received were the same as those he had read with Tom Burton for the past two years. The one purpose which they served was that of keeping the train’s schedule fresh in the engineer’s mind. The first stop was Cameron. Cameron is forty-six miles from Canton and the “Flyer” was due there at 8:29. It is a comparatively level road-bed all the way, but there is a very- sharp curve that has to be taken on the slow”. As Jackson proved to be a capable fireman, everything went well and right on the dot of 8:29 the (Jilt Edge Flyer pulled into the Cameron train shed. 'Flic “Flyer” was due to leave at 8:33. In this interval the conductor came up and read Allan’s orders. “Same old thing,” he grunted, as he walked back. Suddenly it occurred to Allan that Miss Drew was riding on the opposite side of the cab. He turned to inquire how she was en- joying the ride just as she exclaimed, This is just glorious, Mr. West!” “That’s what I think,” said Allan. Is this your first ride in a locomotive?” Yes, it is, Mr. West,” she answered. “I’ve always wanted to ride in one, but somehow father has always refused until tonight.” “Please call me Allan. I’m not used to being mistered.” said Allan. I will if you desire it,” she answered simply. Well, here we go again,” said Allan, as the conductor swung his lantern. 'File next stop was Chester, thirty-four miles from Cameron. The “Flyer” was due at Chester at 9:02. At 9:05' the Flyer” would leave Chester for a twenty-eight mile run to Eakeside Junction. Between Cameron and Chester tin road is nearly all up-grade, but with the throttle wide open old 1301 was eating up the miles.

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52 T E C H R E V I E W He closed the throttle and jammed on the emergency. The brakes shrieked and sparks flew from the rails. Dozing passengers were thrown headlong from their seats. The whistle blew and the (lilt Edge Elver came to a stop not a hundred feet from the “Devil's Creek. “Elsie! Jackson! Look! See what we missed! cried Allan, pointing toward the river. The head-light showed the waters of the creek on a level with the road-bed and the bridge WAS GONE. CHAPTER FIVE Conclusion Trainmen, passengers and stockholders came running forward to find out what had happened. Allan pointed to the creek. As soon as some of the crowd began to realize how near they had come to death, they fell on their knees and thanked God for their deliverance. Mr. Drew came up to Allan and said. “West, this road can never repay you for what you have done tonight. You have saved the lives of more than three hundred passen- gers. Neither can 1 ever repay you, for you have saved my daughter’s life. The conductor gave orders to return to Lakeside Junction. There any passengers de- siring to do so could transfer up the branch line to the P. O. and thence eastward. Elsie decided to ride back in the “Special with her father. Just as the train was readx to start, Allan turned and looked toward the river. There was that same waving form! He got down from the cab and walked toward the river, hoping to see what it was. but as soon as he got near there, it vanished. He turned around, and glanced at the head-light. Something was causing it to flash. He walked back and climbed on the cow- catcher. Then he saw. A bat was shut in the head-light, and, as it flapped its wings in front of the light in an endeavor to escape, made the waving shadow which had been seen on the track. Allan opened the door of the head-light and took the bat in his hand, as the heat had affected it somewhat. “The Danger Signal, lu murmured, and, opening his hand, he let the bat fly away into the darkness. While riding back in the “Special” with her father Elsie said, “I think that 1 shall invite him to my birthday party next month. “Do so. by all means, her father replied. Two weeks later there were in Allan’s mail two letters that we are interested in. One was small and white, and addressed in a neat feminine hand. The other bore the stamp of the B. L. E. R. R.